This application relates to an improved method for protectively sealing a burial casket or other containers intended to be buried.
Historically, various means have been employed to preserve the remains of man. Modern modes of burial include the use of different types of caskets and vaults for enclosing the caskets, in an effort to prevent damage to a casket and its contents for as long as possible. One of the drawbacks of a typical burial vault arrangement is the presence of an air void between the exterior of the casket and the interior of the vault.
Various attempts have been made to provide a waterproof seal, which is also resistant to other forms of invasion, for a burial casket by placing materials in the air void between the casket and the vault such as asphalt coating, concrete, plastic liners, steel, copper and so on. Exemplary of prior art techniques are the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 680,766, 843,314, 1,024,527, 1,377,656, 1,491,597, 1,502,217 and 3,206,900.
Such attempts to overcome the drawbacks of the air void within the vault have been both ineffective and expensive. Among the problems not adequately or conveniently overcome by the prior art are floatation of the casket resulting from the bouyancy of the air void-filling liquid, the presence of joints where leakage can occur, difficulty of use in inclement weather conditions or unfavorable ground conditions and excessive processing time.
In the context of toxic, corrosive or other types of hazardous waste disposal, there are additional complicating factors such as corrosion of the container by the contents as well as by the environment, crushing or bursting forces from the weight of land fill or vehicles at the land fill site, and rough handling during the dumping and burial operations.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means for filling the air void within a burial vault so that leakage into the casket cannot occur.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide means for effectively sealing a casket which is not placed inside a vault to obtain a similarly satisfactory seal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a process for effectively and securely sealing a hazardous waste disposal container, capable of surviving rough handling and other destructive forces.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings.